Something Blue
by Fortunas.Wheel
Summary: This is based VERY heavily on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode Something Blue. It takes place somewhere after Selfless, Brave, and True, but then becomes pretty AU. It's nothing more than a fluffy, funny little one shot. Swan Queen with a dash of Snowing. Enjoy.


Snow White was so over this shit. First, it was the anniversary of her mother's death. Then, Cora had to show the hell up and _kill_ Johanna _after_ getting the dagger. As if that wasn't bad enough, they found out they were related to _Rumple_. Related to Rumpelstiltskin? How would she ever live down the shame? Then, she went and killed Cora. Not her best move, Snow was reluctant to admit. And now? Now there was a damn black spot in her heart.

But people couldn't just leave her be, could they? Nope, they had to meddle and prod and mess shit up all the time. Like fucking August, living in the woods like a fucking tree. Like a tree that should have protected her daughter, not let her grow up hardened and alone. Except August had proven more useless than a tree because he had gone and fucking died on them before telling them who the newest baddie in town was. Gods, this town would fucking implode if she wasn't there to constantly fix people's shit.

As if all of that wasn't enough, Snow also felt herself changing. It had been little things at first – being snippy with David for no reason, sneering at Henry's more Regina-like mannerisms, telling Emma her shirt made her look like a homeless person. But then it got worse. Like decking Geppetto or yelling at Grumpy for breathing too loudly. The changes in her personality were the worst parts for sure. People were starting to treat her differently, and she honestly couldn't blame them.

Snow knew the spot in her heart was to blame. She needed it to go away. She needed to be herself again. So she did what any rational, intelligent, well-meaning person would do: broke into Gold's shop, and stole a page from a spellbook and all the ingredients necessary for a bit of magic. She _may_ have hawked that wand too, but it just looked so much like a Hogwarts wand that Snow _knew_ there was no way it was actually Gold's.

So, there she was, sitting on the floor of her bathroom (the only place you could get privacy in that fucking apartment anymore) on a Tuesday night, with an amulet in hand, red candles in a circle around her, a pentacle, goblet, and incense censer in front of her, and three trays of magical herbs lined up just out of reach.

"Harken all ye elements, I summon thee now," Snow said as she dropped the amulet into the goblet. "Control the outside, control within. Land and sea, fire and wind. Out of my passions, a web be spun. From this eve forth, my will be done. So mote it be."

The liquid in the goblet began to bubble, giving off a shimmery green steam. Snow lifted the goblet and held it over the pentacle, pouring the liquid carefully inside. There was a brief flash, the candle flames rose in fury, and then the room went dark.

"Well," Snow mused out loud. "That was fun."

* * *

The next morning, Snow sat on her bed, mirror in hand, talking to herself.

"It is my will that my heart be healed." She said sternly. "Now! Dammit!"

She waited a moment, for the feeling of lightness to take over her chest, for her purity to be restored. But nothing happened, and instead Snow huffed in annoyance and tossed the mirror down on the bed.

"I will this book speak its words to me," She tried, staring at Henry's opened fairytales book on the bed. She huffed again when nothing happened, exasperation taking over her features.

Snow picked up the mirror again, glaring at herself in the reflection, taking particular note of the way her fucking hair couldn't just be un-frizzy for a day. Seriously, did it always have to look like she was Ronald McDonald's brunette sister?

"I will my hair be un-frizzy!" She tried, somewhere between whine and a hiss.

Again, nothing happened.

"Snow?" Charming said, walking in the front door.

"David?" Snow asked, placing the mirror back down on the bed. "What are you doing home so early?"

Charming sighed and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Great, now her bedspread was going to have Sheriff's Station germs on it and she'd have to wash it. One more fucking thing to do.

"I'm a bit concerned about you, actually." David said slowly, looking at her with big puppy dog eyes. If he hadn't already pissed her off with his first sentence, she'd probably be jumping on him right about now. Henry wasn't due home for what, another 30 minutes? 15? Whatever.

"Did Emma tell you about the blow dryer? Because-"

"Emma didn't tell me anything," Charming said calmly, cutting Snow off. "I know that you're going through a rough time right now, but you need to get back to being yourself. No more moping around at home, no more sitting in the bathroom alone with candles. It's time for you to go back into the world and be yourself."

"I know," Snow sighed, her annoyance ebbing. "I tried to do a spell last night to make me, well, me again. But it all just turned into a mess and my heart feels just as blackened as it did yesterday."

"A spell?" Charming replied with an incredulous look on a face. "You used magic after all of the terrible things we know about it?"

"What, so you're saying magic corrupted me?" Snow railed, her anger surging back as quickly as it had ebbed away.

"That's not what I'm saying at all," Charming tried to explain, his face reverting to its usual confused expression.

"Oh, I get it," Snow said, standing up from the bed. "I corrupted myself, right? I'm just another bad guy, aren't I!"

"Snow," David said, also rising from the bed, but with his hands raised defensively in front of him. "I see how you can think that's what I mean, but it's not. All I wanted to say was-"

"No, you don't!" Snow yelled back. "You say that you do, but you don't see anything!"

Charming's eyes flashed blue for a moment, and Snow could swear that she had finally gotten a real rise out of him. But she hadn't. Instead his shoulders sagged as he brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes.

"Um, you know what? I'm sorry," he sighed as he massaged his eye with his palm. "I should get back to the station. Forget I even mentioned it."

* * *

"And then David just went off on me," Snow complained to Emma as she grabbed another warm cookie from the tray.

It had been an awkward evening in the Charming household. David had gone straight to bed when he got home, mumbling something about a headache. Henry, on the other hand, couldn't stop with the sass all night long, constantly muttering about being the product of a bunch of liars. If there had been any doubt about who had raised him prior to the Charming's, it was all erased tonight. Finally, when Emma reached her wit's end, she had sent him up to bed without a cookie, leaving the entire freshly baked tray for Emma and Snow's consumption.

"David just worries," Emma replied. "I think he just wants to get back to the Enchanted Forest, but isn't sure if he can, so he's just being anxious about other stuff instead."

Snow sighed. "I don't even know why he wants to get back there."

"Yeah, me neither."

"Just think about what would happen." Snow continued. "When we were there, Archie was a cricket."

* * *

Archie Hopper was sitting on his couch drinking tea. With no warning, there was a small poof and he found himself being squished by fabric. Looking around him, he realized the fabric was his clothing, and that he was a cricket once more.

Archie tried to scream in horror, but it only came out as a chirp. "Regi-"

* * *

"Then, we get a big 'ol curse and poof, he's a man."

* * *

As quickly as it had happened the first time, Archie felt another poof and then found himself a man once more. He was sideways in his clothes and they were pulling in the most uncomfortable of ways, but he didn't even care. He was a man again!

Then, a terrifying thought came to him. "Oh no," he whispered. "Regina's back on the magic."

* * *

"Yeah, that had to have been weird," Emma agreed. As she reached for a second cookie, her phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

Snow watched Emma's face scrunch up in concentration. The saying was true: like father like daughter. Emma really was just as much of a confused little puppy dog as David was.

"I'm on my way," Emma said, hanging up the phone.

"What was that about?" Snow asked.

"Regina's back on magic," Emma replied, hopping out of her seat and heading for the door.

"And you're going?" Snow pouted. "Now?"

"Sorry," Emma said with a pained expression. "It's a duty thing."

"Well, I mean, what's the rush? Regina can't hurt anyone if she's high on magic, right? And I figured since I'm kinda grievey, would could, you know, have a girl's night. We could eat cookies and watch Steel Magnolias and you can tell me how at least I don't have diabetes."

"Mary Margaret," Emma said sadly. "I can't hang out with you until I check on this Regina thing, you know that. I'll come back as soon as I can, I promise."

"I don't see what the big deal is. She's probably just standing out there. You could find her in 10 seconds." Snow retorted as Emma walked out the door. She knew she was being petty, but she had emotions that needed talking about! Regina was as harmless as a pixie (the green kind, not the blue) so long as Henry was mad at her and they all knew it.

* * *

"What the f-" Regina started. She found herself standing in the middle of the street at 8 PM on a Wednesday night right in front of the Blanchard residence, holding only the glass of scotch she had just poured for herself.

"Regina?" The most grating voice in the world said behind her.

"Ms. Swan," Regina replied, turning around to face the bane of her existence. "I should have known."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Regina replied coolly.

"Regina, are we really going to play this game tonight?"

"What game is that, dear?" Regina asked in annoyance.

"Can you come inside with me?" Emma deflected. "I need to talk to you about some stuff."

"Ms. Swan, if you really wanted to talk to me, why couldn't you have just called instead of magicking me here against my will?"

Emma shrugged, though Regina caught a hint of confusion crossing her face. There was something Emma wasn't telling her right now. That was for damn sure.

"If you come in, I'll let you see Henry," Emma said.

Regina stared at Emma with fire in her eyes. If this was another cruel trap at the hands of Snow White, Regina really didn't know if she could stop herself from killing that little bitch this time. There was only so much abuse a woman could take before she snapped. Snapping was her instinct; she'd been suppressing it around these vile people for too long. And for what? Her son being dangled in front of her like a carrot? It was pathetic, and Regina's patience was wearing thin.

"Fine," Regina said curtly. "But I'd better not see Snow White."

"We can make that happen," Emma said with an awkward smile. "C'mon in."

* * *

"Ugh," Snow grunted. She and David had been forced upstairs by a very harried Emma and told to stay there. Charming was either half-asleep or more confused than usual on the way up the stairs because he had tripped like a gorilla on tranquilizers. Now, he was just sitting on the bed dumbly in front of her, squinting at the ground like it was about to open up and swallow them all. At least he hadn't reached for Emma's gun holster hanging off the bedpost like he usually did. Snow loved David, she did, but she did not trust him with a gun. His skills were questionable enough with a sword as it was.

"I mean, I'm going through something. You'd think that Emma could make her mother a priority once in a while." Snow said.

"Snow," David said reasonably. "It's not like she could just let Regina go."

"Ms. Swan, I came here under the impression that I would get to see my son. If you don't produce him, then you will have failed to deliver and our deal will be off."

"If you'd just answer my damn question, I'd got get Henry for you. We both know he's reading under his covers right now anyway." Emma said with a huff. "Did you use magic on someone today?"

"Where is this even coming from?" Regina snarled.

"Archie called and said you were using magic again." Emma replied calmly.

"And exactly what type of magic was I allegedly using?" Regina asked. Clearly, Emma had gotten her brains from her father. It was a good thing she was pretty and had a body so rockin' that Sisyphus would recognize it. Regina almost smirked at the quip she had made; were she and Emma in a smoky bar together somewhere, she'd maybe say the line out loud. But they weren't two women in the back of the bar. Instead, they were two adversaries in an uninviting room arguing over something ridiculous. And one was dumber than rocks. One more point for Sisyphus.

"Well, umm, he didn't say," Emma admitted. "But he was pretty adamant that you were."

"Did you for one moment think perhaps it was _your_ new magical ability that did whatever it was that set the cricket off?" Regina retorted.

"You still haven't answered my question, Regina. Were you using magic on someone today? Yes or no?"

* * *

"Regina is more important than me, I understand." Snow whined.

"Emma has to find out if Regina has been doing magic again, Snow. Right now, the only way to do that is by being with Regina." Charming replied calmly. He was rubbing his eyes again. Snow was starting to wonder if he was having an allergic reaction to something.

"Well fine," Snow huffed. "If Emma needs to be around Regina that badly, why doesn't she just go marry her?"

"Regina," Emma said in a voice just above a whisper. "This is just so sudden. I don't know what to say"

Regina knelt on the floor in front of Emma, holding the hand of her beloved as though it were the most precious thing in the world. Regina knew with all of her soul that this was exactly where she should be, who she should be with. All the trials and tribulations had happened to bring her to this moment. Kneeling in front of Emma Swan, on one knee, with a ring in hand and the most important question of all on her lips.

"Please, Emma," Regina implored, her face teetering on the brink of a hopeful smile. "Say yes. Will you be my wife?"

"Oh, Regina," Emma said with a gasp. "Yes, yes, of course yes. A million times, yes!"

Regina smiled blissfully as she slipped the ring onto Emma's finger. It fit perfectly, just like she knew it would. In a sweeping motion, she curled her fingers through blonde hair and brought Emma's lips crashing towards her own. When they kissed, a magical buzz filled the air, sending out a shockwave that pulsed through the room like a wave cresting, falling, and rebuilding to greater heights.

"Wow," Emma breathed.

Regina's only response was kissing Emma once more.

* * *

"Did you feel that?" Snow asked.

"Yes," David replied. "Was it Regina?"

"I don't know," Snow confided warily. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she felt like she might throw up. What if Regina had done something to Emma?

"We have to go check." Snow resolved.

"Snow, I don't think I can," David said.

"Why not?" Snow asked, looking at her husband in concern. His face was contorted, as though he was in pain. "David, are you okay?"

"I think I'm completely blind." David said. He looked up, and Snow gasped when she saw the milky blue hue his eyes had taken on.

* * *

"Let's go tonight," Emma whispered.

"Go where?" Regina asked in the same breathy manner, tracing a line down Emma's neck with light kisses.

They had made their way over to the couch, with Regina sitting sideways on Emma's lap, and Emma's arms wrapped around her like the most comforting blanket in the world.

"Get married," Emma said.

Regina broke her trail of kisses, and pulled away to look Emma in the eye. "Wouldn't your parents be upset?"

"Regina, I don't care about my parents." Emma said, clasping Regina's hands with her own. "The only people I care about are you and Henry. I want to start our life together as soon as I can."

"I know," Regina replied with a smile. "I feel the same way. But we have to do this right with our son."

Emma smiled softly in acquiescence, and Regina felt her heart swell with joy. "Besides," Regina continued. "I don't want to miss the opportunity to see you in a flowing wedding gown that's just for me, Henry, and the minister."

"Wait, what?" Emma asked.

"Well," Regina said, leaning against the crook of Emma's arm. "We'll have to do a daytime wedding here because the flowers are just starting to bloom and-"

"Aside from the fact that you want to get married to me outside, you're expecting it to just be the three of us?" Emma asked bluntly, suddenly sitting up straighter, but not pulling her arms totally away.

"You just said that's what you wanted. I'm failing to see the problem here," Regina started.

"Nu-uh. " Emma interjected. "First of all, we are having an indoor wedding. Secondly, there is no way you'll get me in a flowing gown. And third, what do you mean I just said that? I meant that I didn't care about their approval, not that we're going to exclude them or the rest of the community from our wedding."

"The gown and location I can negotiate on, but are you really that dense?" Regina asked, eyes narrowing incredulously. When Emma's only response was an equally incredulous expression, Regina continued "The Evil Queen marrying the Savior in a public wedding? The townspeople will be out for my blood."

"Regina, they'll get over it by the time we get mar-"

"Oh yes, I'm sure they will. They'll be plenty over it after they burn me at the stake. And then you can be Mrs. Big Pile of Dust. It's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Regina…"

* * *

"It looks like Regina somehow has Emma pinned against the couch," Snow whispered to David from the doorway. The way Emma's room was located allowed Snow to hide in the shadows of the doorway and see the entire downstairs without being visible from the lower level.

Regina and Emma were speaking in dangerously low voices, hostility emanating from them like heat waves. She knew Emma could only hold on for so long. Snow had to act quickly. She would not let Regina take her daughter from her again.

"Is she okay?" David asked.

"I'm not sure," Snow replied, keeping her eyes hawkishly trained on her daughter below.

* * *

"All I'm saying is that if I can't make them love you, I can still protect you! Besides, they were plenty okay with you showing up to Granny's after we got back."

"I don't even know where to begin with that statement!" Regina railed. Both women were standing now, waves of fury flowing off each. Their faces were inches apart, but their expressions were the scowls that only they could bring out of each other. "Did you not see how they glared at me? They despise me! And since when do I need your protection?"

"Well maybe if you weren't always so fixated on killing all of them, they'd be more comfortable around you."

"Oh, so that's all I am to you, isn't it? You just think I'm just the Evil Queen!"

"Regina, I didn't say that," Emma said, suddenly looking like a kicked puppy.

Regina glowered at Emma for a moment longer, silently sizing her up. Regina could remember giving Emma this same look many times before. Hell, she remembered the first time she had done it. It was that day at the mines, when Regina had realized Emma was the only person in the world who could save her son. _Their_ son. She had needed Emma in that moment, and Regina already knew she would need Emma for the rest of her life.

"Regina," Emma cajoled. "Don't you know that I love you? That's why I'm marrying you, and why I want the whole world to see it."

"Close friends and family only?" Regina offered with a sigh of resignation. She felt her temper biting to break the surface, but she fought it back. This wasn't a fight worth getting into, especially not on the night of their engagement.

"Fine," Emma agreed, "But it stays inside. None of this outdoors business."

Regina raised an eyebrow. It really would be uncharacteristic for Emma to just concede defeat for once and make things easy. Then again, if she did that, she wouldn't be Regina's Emma.

"Would it being inside really make you that happy?" Regina asked in surrender.

"The answer is still yes, but I've gotta ask if we're still talking about our wedding location," Emma replied with a smirk and wiggle of her eyebrows.

Regina laughed and shook her head in mock horror as the tension left the room. "Whoever would have imagined the daughter of true love to be such a fiend?"

Emma wasted no time on answering, and instead pulled Regina towards her once more. There was less urgency this time, but it felt perfect all the same.

"I'll wear the flowing dress," Emma whispered between kisses. Regina's only response was to kiss her more deeply.

* * *

If Snow hadn't grown up in the Enchanted Forest, she'd swear Regina and Emma were kissing. But she knew her daughter better than that, and she was convinced that Regina was somehow draining Emma's soul through her mouth. She had to act. Fast.

In a swift movement, Snow grabbed Emma's gun from its holster it and raced out the door.

"Regina! Stop!" She said from the base of the stairs, gun pointed at Regina's back.

Regina pulled away from Emma and looked at Snow, eyes immediately narrowing in disdain.

"Mary Margaret, what are you doing?" Emma asked, alarm – and, oh gods, was that horror? – written across her face.

"S-she. She's doing something to you," Snow said weakly.

"Nothing bad, I promise," Emma said, her face relaxing into a smile as Snow lowered her gun. "Also, that's not even loaded."

Snow ignored Emma's comment about the gun and narrowed her gaze towards the two women. Something wasn't right. Regina looked too happy. She was too close to Emma. Why were her hands holding onto Emma's waist? Why wasn't Emma pulling away from Regina?

"What's going on here?" Snow asked suspiciously.

"Mary Margaret, we have something to tell you," Emma said happily.

"I know this is sudden," Emma continued, "but Regina and I are getting married!"

Snow felt the color drain out of her face as her daughter stared back at her with the strangest mix of happiness and excitement that she had ever seen. Emma was getting married. Emma was getting married to Regina. Emma was getting married to Regina and she was happy about it? What in the name of the gods had gotten into her daughter?

Emma held out her left hand to show Snow the ruby ring she now wore on her fourth finger. Snow recognized that ring; she'd seen Regina wear it for years.

Regina said nothing, but looked on with an expression best described as trepidation. However, Snow was sure she actually saw Regina sneer with delight.

"This has to be a curse." Snow said frantically. "You cursed her, Regina! I know you did."

"I did no such thing!" Regina replied indignantly. "If anyone has been doing magic lately, it's _your_ daughter."

"Stop it, both of you!" Emma interjected before Snow could respond. "Regina didn't curse me. I love her and she loves me, so we're getting married. End of discussion."

"But you were complaining about her an hour ago!" Snow sputtered.

Snow never thought she'd see the day, but Regina actually looked hurt by that comment. Emma, on the other hand, looked alarmed.

"Did you really say that?" Regina asked quietly, staring at Emma like she was the only person in the room. Great, now Snow was being ignored in her own home as her daughter professed her love for Snow's arch nemesis. All she needed next was to find out Cora was haunting her and she'd be able to call it a day.

"I was just frustrated," Emma admitted softly. "But we're together now, and yeah, you might still frustrate me sometimes, but it won't ever mean I love you any less."

Snow actually gagged when she watched Regina melt at her daughter's words. She had to physically turn around when they began kissing, but nothing she could do would make her stop hearing the smacking of lips.

"I'm going to go get your father," Snow proclaimed loudly, using that as an excuse to rush out of the room as quickly as possible.

With a snap, David appeared in the room in front of Snow. Emma and Regina looked up from their kiss in bewilderment. Snow wondered how Emma or Regina was able to magic him downstairs when they were both so focused on sucking the other's face off.

"What the hell is going on?" David asked, his voice booming with authority.

"David, are you blind?" Emma gasped as he turned to face them all.

He nodded solemnly. "I don't know what happened. I can't see a thing."

Emma stepped forward and began waving her hand in front of David's face. "Whatever it is you're doing, stop." He growled. "I can smell you. You need to stop eating Henry's fruit roll-ups."

"You've been letting Henry eat fruit roll-ups?" Regina bristled.

Emma shrugged like it wasn't a big deal, and Snow watched in continuing horror as Regina didn't rise to the challenge and start a fight, but rather rolled her eyes and dropped the subject.

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on down here?" David reiterated.

"Yes. Please, Emma, tell your father about your new plans." Snow said, crossing her arms.

"Well," Emma began slowly. "I know it's sudden, but you have to know that I've given this a lot of thought and-"

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Snow interjected. "Emma and Regina are getting married."

"What?" David asked in clear confusion. He stumbled backwards for a moment, clearly seeking a seat, and Regina helped him navigate his way into the couch quickly.

"It's the right thing to do," Emma said simply after he was settled down.

"What do you mean it's the right thing to do?" David replied. "Emma, do you know what this woman has done?"

"David, none of that matters anymore." Emma replied calmly. "She's the woman I love, and she's working to be good. I know who she is, and part of that is her being my wife."

"I never thought I'd say this, but I am so happy I can't see what's going on right now." David said.

Emma took a seat next to David on the couch and cupped his hand. "I know you didn't get to see me grow up or anything, but you're my father and I love you." Emma paused. "Will you give me away on my wedding day?"

As David turned to face Emma's direction, with tears in his eyes no doubt, Snow reached her last straw and stomped into the kitchen, away from the madness in the room. Yup, she was _so_ over this shit.

* * *

"Clearly there is some kind of curse going on," Emma stated. "That's why David is blind, and why Archie thought you were doing magic again."

"But why target Charming and Hopper?" Regina mused. "What's the connection here?"

"Maybe they're targeting all of us. I must just be immune because I'm the Savior."

Regina bit back a comment about that not being how these sorts of things work, and instead smiled at her wife-to-be. This was the crack team that had foiled all of her plans and broke her curse? She would be deeply shamed if she weren't so in love. Then, like a bucket of cold water being dumped down her back, Regina felt realization wash over her.

"I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back." Regina said as she excused herself and made her way to the bathroom.

"Hey, 'Gina," Emma called before Regina had left the room.

Regina turned back towards Emma. "Yes?"

Looking both ways before she did so, Emma made an O-shape with one hand and used two slightly crooked fingers from her other to make a gesture that Regina could only characterize as lewd. _And mind-blowingly hot_.

"Whatever you're doing," David cut in, "Stop it. I can hear what I hope is not smacking."

Regina gave Emma a pointed stare and a then quick wink before turning back around and resuming her path.

As soon as she was in the restroom, Regina locked the door and ran her hands through her hair in a panic. It was a spell. _This _was all a spell. She and Emma weren't meant to be together. Getting engaged hadn't been Regina's intention when she came to the Blanchard residence that night. In fact, she hadn't even intended to be at the Blanchard residence that night; she'd been at home in her study when she was magicked away.

No, none of this had been planned. She wasn't in love with Emma Swan, she couldn't be, but the tugging on her heart told her differently. It was impossible to force love, so what was this?

And then the events from the past week came rushing back to her. A spell to fake feelings, not even the love itself. It was the cruelest of curses; once it was taken off, you could never get rid of that hollow feeling, the one you knew shouldn't even be there.

She'd been in there long. Too long. Emma would come looking for her soon, she knew it. She had to get out soon. With that in mind, Regina made a show of flushing the toilet and turned on the sink to wash her hands. As she reached for the soap, Regina spotted an amulet on the bathroom counter.

_No_. Regina thought as she mentally placed where she knew that amulet from. _She cannot have been that stupid. _

* * *

When Snow had finally emerged from the kitchen – if she could even call it emerging; more like walked 10 feet – she was grateful to see that Regina was not around. Snow hoped against hope that she had left their home. Emma had a knack for putting her foot in her mouth; maybe she'd been able to do it well enough to make Regina leave for good.

"Where's Regina?" Snow asked, interrupting what appeared to be a game Emma was playing where she'd do something ridiculous in front of David's face and see how long it took him catch on. In the three seconds she had been standing there, she'd seen David react twice. Clearly, this wasn't a game for the patient kind.

"Bathroom," Emma said quickly as she wiggled her fingers in front of David's face.

"Oh."

"She's been gone a while, Em," David said. "Maybe you should go check on her."

"Good idea," Emma said, standing to heed her father's advice a moment later.

Before Emma made it out of Snow's sight, Regina was back in the room. Of course she had to stop right next to Emma. Of fucking course she had to look at Snow's daughter that way.

"Whose is this?" She asked, holding up the amulet she had found.

"It's mine," Snow replied boldly.

"You cast a spell?" Regina condemned. "You foolish woman, did you learn nothing from me?"

"Regina," Emma cautioned, her face a sea of confusion and concern as she placed a hand tenderly on Regina's arm.

"No, Emma, she's right," Snow conceded.

"Exactly what kind of spell was it?" Regina asked, her annoyance clear.

"Just a spell to make my will be done." Snow replied.

Regina's eyes immediately widened in alarm. Emma tensed next to her, as though she could feel what Regina felt. Frankly, Snow found it sickening.

"Do not say another word." Regina commanded quickly. "Everything you say can have an unexpected effect. Just nod your head yes or no."

Snow nodded yes.

"Did you get this spell from Gold?" Regina asked.

Snow nodded yes.

"Did you have to trade him something for it?"

Snow nodded no.

"Does he know you have it?" Regina asked uncertainly.

Snow shook her head no.

"This will be fun. We're going to need the spellbook this curse came from to figure out how to break it." Regina stated.

"Okay," Emma said, moving towards the door. "You two stay here and watch Henry."

"I don't know how much watching your father will be doing tonight, dear," Regina quipped.

"Sorry, poor choice of words," Emma said. That smile that just would not disappear was back in full-force. "Anyway, you two stay here. Me and Regina will go find Gold and figure out how to fix this."

Snow wanted to argue, wanted to argue that Emma shouldn't be going anywhere with Regina, but she couldn't think of what to say that wouldn't somehow make this curse worse. With her luck lately, she'd probably end up giving them a magical baby or something. So instead Snow rolled her eyes and nodded her head yes in agreement.

* * *

Main Street was empty at this time of night, and Regina was thankful for that. This sleepy little town was almost always to bed by 10 PM, especially on a weeknight like this one. The only places that could be opened were the two local bars, and tonight neither indicated any sign of life.

It was an objectively perfect evening. Regina was strolling hand in hand with the woman she loved. It wasn't too hot, it wasn't too cold. The moon was bright enough to light their way, but the hazy streetlights made up for any lunar deficiencies there may have been. Despite the slight breeze in the air, Regina didn't feel cold in the slightest. All she felt was warmth.

"You know," Regina mused. "When I first saw you tonight, I thought that your body was so rockin' even Sisyphus would recognize it."

"Who?" Emma asked.

"Sisyphus? The Corinthian king of Greek mythology who was punished by Zeus for lying?"

Emma continued to stare at Regina blankly.

"The guy who had to keep rolling the boulder up the mountain just to watch it come back down again?" Regina tried.

"Oh!" Emma said suddenly. She paused for a moment. "Wow, Regina. That is a terrible line."

Regina shrugged. "That doesn't mean it's not true, dear."

Emma beamed, and they continued walking.

"So, I get that I wasn't affected by the spell 'cause I'm the Savior and all, but do you think anyone else is safe from it? Like maybe Henry because he's my kid."

"Don't let this Savior thing go to your head, Emma," Regina cautioned. "Besides, what makes you think I was affected?"

"Well," Emma started, "Mary Margaret said you would probably be right outside, and then you were, holding a glass of scotch and without your car. She also mentioned Archie earlier, which is probably what freaked him out."

"What about your father?"

"Knowing Mary Margaret lately, she probably said he was turning a blind eye or something." Emma guessed.

"Are you always that observant?" Regina asked.

"You have to be when you grew up the way I did."

"I'm sorry," Regina said heavily.

"I know," Emma replied. "Now what are you not telling me?"

Regina's face gave her away for a fraction of a second before she could replace her mask, and had she been walking with anyone else, she doubted they would have been looking at her close enough to notice. Even if they had, none of them would dare say anything to her about it. But that wasn't the case with Emma Swan. It never had been.

"It's nothing," Regina lied, reasoning to herself that none of this would matter as soon as the spell was up.

"Regina, if we're really going to do this thing, there can't be secrets anymore," Emma implored. Her voice sounded tired, like she was fighting a battle she already knew was going to be uphill.

"I just want us to have this one night," Regina replied.

Emma didn't respond, and the silence between them became more pointed as the seconds ticked by. Still, they did not stop walking, and despite the new chill Regina was able to feel, Emma's arm remained firmly tucked into her own. Regina wanted it so badly to be real, and if she let herself forget for a moment, it almost was.

"What the hell, Regina?" Emma suddenly accused. "I'm mad at you and just smile?"

"That's exactly why I'm smiling, dear."

"I don't-"

"Even when you're mad at me," Regina interjected, speaking over the confused mumbles she was sure were going to come out of Emma's mouth. "You still hold on."

* * *

Snow was willing to bet money that they were kissing right now. Regina and Emma, like two star-crossed fucking lovers. And it was all her fault. Yup, Snow White was so, so, so very over this shit.

* * *

"You're lucky I'm up this late," Gold said as he led Emma and Regina to the back room of his shop.

"Yeah," Emma replied. "What's with the overtime lately?"

"If you must know, I've been working on an antidote for Belle. Her cursed side doesn't want anything to do with me." Gold offered bitterly. "But tell me, how can I help you ladies this late at night?"

"Mary Margaret did a spell from one of your books that makes her will be done. We need the counterspell." Emma explained.

"I take it that's why you two are behaving like two children who just got caught playing "show me yours" for the first time?" Gold mused. "Tell me, was it something about lust?"

"Was what about lust?" Emma asked.

Regina had known this was coming eventually, but leave it up to Gold to make this fairytale end in the most jarring way possible.

"Would you like to tell her?" Gold asked, his eyes taking on his predatory glint.

Regina shot him a glare and silently swore revenge for his transgression. Perhaps she would go after his dear Belle once more. Hell, all she'd have to do is neglect to tell him that Belle's precious memory could be restored from the wishing well. It would be a hollow victory, but a win was a win.

"Emma we were cursed tonight as well." Regina said in a soft voice. "That's why we've been behaving the way we have towards one another tonight. When this spell is broken, I believe our bond will be as well."

Regina watched as the color drained from Emma's face, her own heart dropping at the same pace.

"Wait, you mean-"

"We'll go back to hating one another," Regina finished.

"Should I leave you two alone?" Gold interjected.

"No," Regina growled. She really did hate that fucking imp. "Just give us the counterspell and we'll be on our way."

"And why would I do that, dearie?"

"Because" Regina said, rounding on him. "You know as well as I that Snow White possessing that power will lead to destruction neither one of us could imagine and that you or your loved ones could very easily be casualties."

Gold gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyebrows. "Very well."

With a complicated flick of his wrist, which Regina knew was purely for show, Gold produced a small scroll of paper, no more than two inches wide. It was worn and tattered, just like all the pages of spellbooks.

"Have her read this out loud and then blow out the top candle she used in the spell. Everything should return to the way it was after that." Gold explained as he handed Emma the scroll.

"Thank you," Emma replied.

Gold nodded and gestured towards the door.

* * *

"Snow?" David called out from the couch. "I know you can't speak right now, but could you come over here and just sit with me?"

Her immediate reaction was to fight, but then she stopped herself. Why? Why did she want to do that to the man she loved? It didn't make any sense. It scared her.

Snow walked over to the couch and sat down next to her husband. It only took them a moment to mold into one another, her body fitting perfectly into his.

"I love you," he said as he pulled her a little bit tighter. Snow White's heart expanded painfully for a moment, but then retracted. After it did that, she was light for a moment before the heavier feeling her heart had adopted lately settled back in. It was okay though. It was more bearable than it was before.

* * *

"You knew, didn't you?" Emma said as soon as they were a respectable distance from Gold's shop. Her tone was accusatory, but it didn't have the bite of anger to it. It took Regina a moment to pin it down precisely, but when it came to her, her face softened immediately.

Emma wasn't angry. She wasn't even disappointed. She was sad, an emotion that was so complex and yet so basic. An emotion Regina knew so well, and which made her heart heavy to have caused.

"Regina, what are we going to do?" Emma pleaded, clearly taking Regina's silence as the admission it was.

"We're going to have to be grateful that our son didn't get his hopes up, and then we're going to carry on much in the way we did before." Regina sighed.

"But magic can't fake love!" Emma protested, stopping and slamming her foot on the ground to make a point.

"No, it can't," Regina agreed, turning to take a step closer to Emma. "Not true love, anyway," She swept a piece of blond hair off of Emma's forehead. "But it can make you believe feelings that aren't true."

"But what if these feelings were there before and this spell just made them come out into the open?"

"Emma," Regina consoled, "What we're feeling is a trick. Yesterday, you wouldn't have said yes to marrying me, let alone going on a date with me. Similarly, I never would have asked you in the first place."

Regina knew those words to be true. Emma had only hurt Regina in the past few months. For every moment of kindness, there had been a dearth of betrayal that followed. If Regina had asked anything of Emma Swan before tonight, Emma would have said yes only to find some other way to break Regina in the interim. It wasn't necessarily malicious, it was just who Emma was and who she was surrounded by.

"I think you're wrong," Emma whispered.

"I wish I was," Regina replied sadly.

Emma responded by pulling Regina into a desperate kiss. Regina knew that love couldn't be faked, and she knew that the way her heart was beating wildly in her chest was going to make the spell breaking that much more painful. Yet, she threw herself into the kiss anyway, matching Emma's fervor easily. If these were going to be the only moments she was going to get, then she was going to use them to their fullest potential.

* * *

Snow had been startled when Emma and Regina walked back into the apartment. Neither looked as happy as they had before they had left. Snow's chest constricted tightly at the sight. It was almost like they were in mourning.

Emma handed the spell over to Snow and explained what to do. It didn't take Snow much time to find the candle and recite the counterspell under Regina's careful gaze.

"Let the healing power begin. Let my will be safe again. As these words of peace are spoken, let this harmful spell be broken." Snow finished.

All of the light left the room for a moment, and then it was over.

"I can see!" Charming exclaimed.

But Snow wasn't paying attention to him. Her eyes were instead trained on Emma and Regina. Their hands remained clasped tightly around one another, and Emma was looking at Regina as though she'd never seen something so perfect in her entire life. Regina, however, was looking on stoically ahead, as though she didn't care in the slightest.

"Regina," Emma ventured slowly. "I think we need to talk."

* * *

"What is it, Ms. Swan?" Regina asked with an air of impatience once they were back outside.

"I, uh, well-" Emma stammered.

"Anytime now will be wonderful," Regina murmured with a sigh of irritation.

"Will you go out to dinner with me?" Emma blurted out quickly.

Regina took a step back and tilted her head. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Uhh, yeah?" Emma confirmed with a small smirk and a shrug.

"Why?" Regina asked, her face a warzone between hurt and confusion.

Emma sighed softly, not really trying to hide her small smile. "Because being with you like that tonight was nice, and I think we could be that way all time. Plus, I already know you think I'm hot. Sissy puss and all that."

"Sisyphus, Ms. Swan," Regina corrected with a roll of her eyes.

"Whatever. The point is that you know it's true. We make a good team, and I want to get to know you better. So please," Emma implored, taking a step closer to Regina, "say yes."

Regina knew she should say no. She knew what helping Emma Swan had gotten her in the past. Regina also knew she never learned from her mistakes, and that this time, she didn't really want to anyway.

"Yes."


End file.
